No bonuses for teachers

Published: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 at 8:19 p.m.

Last Modified: Wednesday, August 15, 2012 at 8:19 p.m.

Brunswick County Schools employees will have to wait and see whether the district will give them a $1,000 bonus for the second year in a row.

At a retreat on Wednesday, the school board's 2-2 vote on whether to add the bonuses to next year's budget caused a stalemate. The board approved the 2013 fiscal year budget, but a decision on the bonuses was tabled until Board Chairwoman Shirley Babson could break the tie.

Babson did not attend the retreat.

Talk of bonuses comes after a state funded 1.2 percent pay raise for employees - the first in four years. And while the bonuses were a part of the district's draft budget approved in April, board members had concerns about spending the $2.1 million cost on Wednesday.

The county's budget, however, did include funding for 8.5 teaching positions and three counselors district-wide.

Board member John Thompson, who voted against the bonuses, said the district can hold off on approving the money. Vice Chair Catherine Cooke was the other dissenter.

"If we decide we do want to do this, we can still do it at another time," he said.

Board members Bud Thorsen and Charlie Miller, who voted for the bonuses, agreed.

It is unclear when the board will revisit the issue.

After some debate, The board unanimously approved a school uniform policy for elementary schools in the northern section of the county during the day-long meeting, The board had held off on voting on the matter because they wanted to discuss the issue further.

But principals and administrators hoped to have the board of education approve minor changes in time for back-to-school shopping. Town Creek, Lincoln and Belville elementary, as well as Leland Middle, are the only schools subject to the uniform code.

The changes approved Wednesday allow students to wear any solid colored polo to school with a logo no larger the size of a quarter. On Fridays, students are allowed to wear jeans. Solid blue, white or black khaki shorts are also now permitted in the revised policy.

Students had been limited to wearing only polo shirts in four school-designated colors, and the shirts could not bear logos.

Both Cooke and Thorsen said they would like to see a district-wide policy next year.

<p>Brunswick County Schools employees will have to wait and see whether the district will give them a $1,000 bonus for the second year in a row.</p><p>At a retreat on Wednesday, the school board's 2-2 vote on whether to add the bonuses to next year's budget caused a stalemate. The board approved the 2013 fiscal year budget, but a decision on the bonuses was tabled until Board Chairwoman Shirley Babson could break the tie.</p><p>Babson did not attend the retreat.</p><p>Talk of bonuses comes after a state funded 1.2 percent pay raise for employees - the first in four years. And while the bonuses were a part of the district's draft budget approved in April, board members had concerns about spending the $2.1 million cost on Wednesday.</p><p>The county's budget, however, did include funding for 8.5 teaching positions and three counselors district-wide.</p><p>Board member John Thompson, who voted against the bonuses, said the district can hold off on approving the money. Vice Chair Catherine Cooke was the other dissenter.</p><p>"If we decide we do want to do this, we can still do it at another time," he said.</p><p>Board members Bud Thorsen and Charlie Miller, who voted for the bonuses, agreed.</p><p>It is unclear when the board will revisit the issue.</p><p>After some debate, The board unanimously approved a school uniform policy for elementary schools in the northern section of the county during the day-long meeting, The board had held off on voting on the matter because they wanted to discuss the issue further.</p><p>But principals and administrators hoped to have the board of education approve minor changes in time for back-to-school shopping. Town Creek, Lincoln and Belville elementary, as well as <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9971"><b>Leland</b></a> Middle, are the only schools subject to the uniform code.</p><p>The changes approved Wednesday allow students to wear any solid colored polo to school with a logo no larger the size of a quarter. On Fridays, students are allowed to wear jeans. Solid blue, white or black khaki shorts are also now permitted in the revised policy.</p><p>Students had been limited to wearing only polo shirts in four school-designated colors, and the shirts could not bear logos.</p><p>Both Cooke and Thorsen said they would like to see a district-wide policy next year.</p><p>"We need to take it up and see if we should expand it," Thorsen said.</p><p><a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/topic9907"><b>Jason Gonzales</b></a>: 343-2075</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @StarNews_Jason</p>